Urgent help needed

[wilma-bride]

I have been trying to book a flydrive with VH over the phone. The woman has told me that the car included with the booking is only for 7 days and that we either have to take the car for the whole 2 weeks (an extra £135) or pay £30 per person 'independent travel' charge.

Has anyone experienced this before? Has anyone booked a fly drive with VH and NOT taken the hire car? Am I likely to be able to hire an 8-seater with ALL insurances for less than £378 (the amount to upgrade the insurance with VH)?

I would have just booked it online, as it wasn't amking me take the car for 2 weeks but the booking won't go through, which suggests that what she is saying is correct.

 

[heatherbelle]

according to the broucher, the car is free for the first week. You then have to pay for extra weeks. For the smallest car, this is 20.00 per week.

 

[wicket2005]

I have read in the past quite a few posts from people who have booked a fly drive then just not picked the car up at the airport. This is the first time I have read what you are saying. Perhaps it is a way to make people take the hire car from them.

 

[Claire L]

I have read in the past quite a few posts from people who have booked a fly drive then just not picked the car up at the airport. This is the first time I have read what you are saying. Perhaps it is a way to make people take the hire car from them.

If you have a package including accommodation there is no surcharge if you don't take the car for the second week as you are still 'using a service provided by VH' ie the accommodation. The scenario is slightly different for fly drives and hence the £30 for any period over 7 days of the 'holiday' where no service is being offered by VH, this has long been the terms and conditions.

Claire

 

[UKDEB]

That's outrageous. It's always been the case that you only get 7 days' car hire with a Virgin Holidays booking (which includes Fly-Drives), but to then insist that you must pay for the second week, or pay a penalty, is plain wrong. It doesn't help that the VH website doesn't seem to be working at the moment.

 

[wilma-bride]

If you have a package including accommodation there is no surcharge if you don't take the car for the second week as you are still 'using a service provided by VH' ie the accommodation. The scenario is slightly different for fly drives and hence the £30 for any period over 7 days of the 'holiday' where no service is being offered by VH, this has long been the terms and conditions.

Claire

So, essentially it's a way for VH to get you to part with a bit more of your hard earned cash

Either way, it doesn't matter now as I've bitten the bullet, paid the extra £135 for the car and, if I can't get an alternative rental car cheaper, I will also bite the bullet and take their insurance

 

[Chilly]

Am I likely to be able to hire an 8-seater with ALL insurances for less than £378 (the amount to upgrade the insurance with VH)?

A 7 seater mini van with Alamo through Expedia is £199.39 including all insurance for 7 days.

 

[wilma-bride]

A 7 seater mini van with Alamo through Expedia is £199.39 including all insurance for 7 days.

Cheers Claire Looks as though we would be looking at £400ish for 2 weeks then, which basically means we might as well go with the VH option.

 

[Chilly]

Cheers Claire Looks as though we would be looking at £400ish for 2 weeks then, which basically means we might as well go with the VH option.

Thats what we're here for, if we can't plan our own trips we'll plan someone else's

 

[Claire L]

The cheaper way may have been to have the smallest vehicle for your party and no insurance then look elsewhere.

Claire

 

[wilma-bride]

The cheaper way may have been to have the smallest vehicle for your party and no insurance then look elsewhere.

Claire

That's what we did - there are 7 of us so it automatically gave us a 7-seater

 

[Claire L]

That's what we did - there are 7 of us so it automatically gave us a 7-seater

Ah thats good

Claire

 

[jockey]

Joh, we went of a VH FD in December 2006 and just did not collect the car. There was no extra charge for independent stay or for not collecting the car.